MOVE

Civics, Community Service & Creativity.

M.O.V.E. encourages students ages 12- 21 to think critically about the social issues that tear our communities apart. By providing our students with opportunities to participate in team building exercises, inter-generational dialogue and introspective work, we develop solution oriented efforts and behaviors that combat daily injustices. Ultimately our students are given the tools necessary to produce socially responsible artistic work and explore policy issues in an effort to spread the culture of compassion and empathy to our audiences.

PUBLIC POLICY PROJECTS

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PUBLIC POLICY PERFORMANCE PROJECT

Professional Performing Arts School 2018

M.O.V.E. programs utilize intergenerational mentoring and artistic production activities to educate students on the following topics.

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Civic Responsibility

Community Service

Empathy & Sympathy

Goal Setting & Self Motivation

Creativity & Innovation

Activism & Community Organizing

Oppression
Discrimination
Intolerance
Prejudice
Racism

Bigotry
Social Responsibility

Culture of Giving

Peaceful Communications

Bigotry & All Its Words

Social Justice Assembly

TESTIMONY

"I wanted to take a moment to say thank you to you and the rest of the staff at PPAS for supporting the good work being done by Nicole Johnson and the M.O.V.E. team. My daughter, Anya Jimenez, just finished her 6th grade year and I cannot overstate the importance of this group to her social development. As you know, We Heal grew out of the protest by the Westboro Baptist Church that took place in front of the school on April 1st. I walked Anya to school that morning and saw firsthand the confusion, anger, and hurt that crossed her face as we realized what was happening. I felt like the school did a great job responding to the incident and it was very cathartic for the students to have an outlet to discuss their reactions. However, for Anya this was her first direct experience with this kind of hostility and bias, so she still had a lot of emotions around the experience. Nicole and the We Heal group gave us both a place to feel safe to discuss our emotions, and to explore the topics of race, sexuality, and gender in our society. From that first meeting, we felt welcome and a part of a group. Anya has spent many hours since then working with the group on classes, and has even been trained to teach a class. We Heal has helped her to find her voice and to understand how she can use that voice to make the world a more loving place. Without the support of PPAS it would be impossible for We Heal to continue the good work they are doing. Thank you for supporting this group and their program. - Robyn Weiss

Learn more about our upcoming

RAISE MY SOCIAL CAPITAL STRATEGY

COMING TO FIVE NEW PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN 2020

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NYC PUBLIC SCHOOLS PILOT PROGRAM 2020

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MOVErs In Your Community

M.O.V.E’s community centric model begins with a MOVEr, a community leader or organizer, who receives ongoing support to offer programming during both the academic school day and after school. MOVErs are not certified teachers, they are intentionally classified and introduced to a school as a community organizer. Causes and social issues that our MOVErs address in their daily lives include but are not limited to bigotry, intolerance, racism and discrimination. Our MOVErs have also helped students address causes like suicide prevention, anti-bullying, gun control, Autism and equity in education. Each one of our organizers, educators, artists--- have assessed a specific need in their community and are focused on addressing the need through some sort of self determination programing that can be well executed in a school building with students, parents and teachers. In tandem with a teacher or school admin the MOVErs seem to find purpose and gain momentum with their activism.

To best serve schools M.O.V.E. trains MOVErs to utilize their innate creative skillset and develop customized programming that fosters a more holistic educational experience for the students in their neighborhoods. MOVErs in their home borough work together to build their neighborhood school's capacity in partnership with school admin and student leaders. Capacity building, conducted by my MOVErs, fills the gaps in the NYC student experience introducing them to skills for practical application, new social capital, self determination and healing through activism. The goal is to make school buildings the epicenters of each neighborhood where MOVErs invite families and students into communion with one another to address the social causes and issues that they are passionate about. Through this process students are exposed to a variety of perspectives and influencers, expanding their understanding of the world and the potential of their personal lives.

Marc Nunez

Queens

Marco Vaccaro

Harlem

Angelica Xie

Queens

Colin Lieu

Harlem

Gym Starr

Brooklyn

Anthony Sanchez

Brooklyn & Staten Island

Stephanie Windland

Queens

Sofyia Chyenne

Brooklyn & Staten Island

Dina Lewis

Harlem

Nicole Johnson

All Boroughs

Duane Buress

Bronx

Christina Franklin

Bronx & Brooklyn

Emily Lopez

Staten Island & Harlem

Lyndsay Corbett

Queens

Marissa O'Brien

Bronx

To become a MOVEr community organizers undergo a profile application process, seasonal training with a cohort, self assessment tool, and one on one guided sessions. The process can be likened to that of a teacher and pre-service teacher. MOVErs are also welcomed into a cohort of other organizers designed to provide MOVErs with community and encouragement for effective personal and professional capacity building.